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@uiten faire @aient @fitta JOHN F. MORGAN, OF BOSTON, ASSIGNO TO CORNELIUS S. HIILBU nOF SPRINGFIELD, MASSAGEUSET-TS.A

Letters PatentNo. 70,598, dated November 5, 1867.

IMPROVED LUN (JH-BOX.

TO WHOM- IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, JOHN F. MORGAN, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts,

have invented a new and improved and useful Lunch or Dinner-Box, of which the following is a full and exact description.

i The nature of my invention consists irnattaching `the side and end plates to each other and to the bottom plate of the box by hinges, and in traversing the end plates diagonally each with one hinge, and in traversing one of the side plates diagonally with two hinges, which nearly meet at the top of the plate, while the opposite side plate is made of onepiece; and in so arranging the cover that it may be securely fastened to the box, or detached, at pleasure.

The object of my invention is to produce a convenient lunchfbox, which, when empty, may be folded readily into small compass. The box is simplein construction, as will appear from the following details and the accompanying drawings. A

The bottom plate is made of a single rectangular piece of sheet tin, or other suitable material. The end plates are made each of two pieces, which are joined together by a hinge extending diagonally, across the plate from the lower corner of one side thereof to the top of said plate, ata point near the opposite side thereof. One of the side plates is made of a single rectangular piece; the'other side plate is made of three pieces, twoof which are triangular; the third, which is the middle piece, is a trapezoid in form. The base of the trapezoid extends the whole length of the plate, and it is joined to the triangular pieces by hinges, which extend from near the lower ends of the plate to points inthe top of the plate, nearl to and on each side of the middle thereof. The side and end plates are fastened to each other and tothe bottom plate by hinges, which extend'the whole length of the side and end plates, and the whole height of the same. The cover of the box is made 'with the edge bent down on all sides, and of such sine that when it is placed upon the box the bent edge shuts down outside the end and side plates for a distance equal to about four times the thickness of the plateused. .Midway between the ends of the cover an opening is made, in and through the bent edge of the cover, into which ts a projection of corresponding size, upon one side plate of the box. Opposite this opening in the edge, and upon the other side of the cover, is a wire bolt hinged upon the top of the cover, and so bent that, when -turned down, it enters an aperture in the sidev plate of thel box prepared to receive it, and so fastens thc cover securely.

When the box is empty it is easily folded by the hand, and maybe laid with the bottom plate uppermost into the cover. The wire bolt turneddown upon it holds it firmly in position. Thus folded, it may be carried in the pocket 4without inconvenience. In the accompanying drawings- Figure 1 represents the lunch-box in perspective, without the,cover.

a a a arepresent the hinges which connect the side and end plates with the bottom plate. b 6 b Zz are the hinges which join the side plates and the end plates together. d cl d 0l are the hinges whichjoin the two parts ofthe end plates together, crossing the end plates diagonally. e e e e are the hinges which join the three partsorA pieces of the side plate F together. g is the projection which fits into the opening in the edge o f the cover. h is the aperture which receives the bolt hinged to the cover, for the purpose of fastening the cover upon the box.

The box is folded by pressing the side plate F inward, by which action the box is brought into the position shown in Figure 2, and, if the pressure is continued, is folded iiat.

Figure 3 is a top view of the box with the cover on.

k shows where the wire bolt m is hinged upon the top of the cover.

Figure 4 is an end view of the box folded.

I am aware that boxes have been made by others, having hinged side and bottom plates, and the end plates connected with the side plates by hinges; and this is not what I claim.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

I, A lunch or dinner-box, as an article of manufacture, the end plates and vside plates of which are joined to each other and to the bottom plate of the box by hinges, and the end plates of which are made of two parts or pieces connected by hinges, which traverse the end plates diagonally, and-one side plate of which is made of three parts or pieces connected together by hinges, so that the box can be folded flat without detaching any part of it, beside the top or cover, from the other parts, substantially as herein set forth.

` J'. F. MORGAN.

i Witnesses:

Gao. WJ WALKER, E. C.WARNocK. 

